Midtown is a district in Toronto north of downtown. It isn't an area with a large number of museums, theatres, or other tourist attractions - although there are a few sights to see. The best way to enjoy it is to pretend that you live there, and enjoy the shops, restaurants, and cafés. For this guide, we look at “Midtown” in a larger geographic sense. It includes what is considered the traditional neighbourhood of Midtown, as well as Leaside and the old borough of York. Rough boundaries are Davenport Rd in the south, Lawrence Ave in the north, the Humber River in the west and the Don Valley in the east. Midtown has two axes: Yonge Street is the north/south axis along subway line 1, and St Clair Avenue West is Midtown's east/west axis along the 512 streetcar line.

Toronto has many streets, or sections of streets, lined with shops, restaurants and the occasional pub. These streets are attactive walking areas that are easily accessible by public transit. Most are located in the older parts of the city. Often the local "business improvement association" (BIA) gives the area a pleasant name and arranges little things such as sidewalk benches, potted plants and street decorations.

Rosedale/Summerhill/St.Clair is a 1.6 km section of Yonge Street stretching from Crescent Road at Rosedale Station, passing Summerhill Station to Heath Street, a short distance north of St. Clair Avenue and St. Clair Station on subway Line 1. The former Summerhill railway station at Schriviner Square is a landmark south of the subway's Summerhill Station. The steep slope on Yonge Street north of Summerhill Station was the shore of Glacial Lake Iroquois which existed here 13,000 years ago. If you climb the slope, take a look at Fire Hall 311, a national historical site built in 1911, on Balmoral Avenue near Yonge Street.

The Yonge & Davisville area stretches along Yonge Street from Merton Street near Davisville Station to Berwick Avenue in the north, just 1 block south of Eglinton Avenue and Eglinton Station on subway line 1. This 900-metre stretch contains a number of restaurants.

The Yonge & Eglinton area has 2 strips. One strip runs 1.4 km along Yonge Street from Eglinton Avenue north to Glencairn Avenue, which the local BIA has branded as Uptown Yonge casting this name in plaques at various sidewalk locations. A second, short strip with restaurants and bars runs along Eglinton Avenue East from Yonge Street to about Redpath Avenue.

Yonge-Lawrence Village is the name given by the local BIA to a 1.1 km strip along Yonge Street from Lawrence Avenue (Lawrence Station on subway Line 1) to Yonge Boulevard. (The name is branded on all the street name signs in the area.) This strip has a number of shops, cafes and restaurants, most of which are north of Bedford Park Avenue. However, take at look at Fire Station 131 built in 1931 at the corner of Wanless Avenue and Yonge Street.

Here are the Mid-town retail areas near Yonge Street:

Mount Pleasant Village is the name given by the local BIA to a 800 metre strip along Mount Pleasant Road south of Eglinton Avenue East. (The name is branded on all the street name signs in the area.) This strip has shops (some specialty shops) and restaurants including two French-style patisseries. To access Mount Pleasant Village by public transit, take any eastbound bus from Eglinton Station on subway Line 1, or it's close enough from Eglinton Station to walk.

South Bayview is the name given by the local BIA to a 600-metre retail strip along Bayview Avenue one block south of Eglinton Avenue East. (The name is branded on all the street name signs in the area.) This strip has shops, cafes and restaurants including two French-style patisseries. To access South Bayview by public transit, take bus 11 from Davisville Station on subway Line 1.

The most interesting parts of St Clair Ave are west of St Clair West Station between Bathurst St and Lansdowne Ave where there are 4 retail areas with many shops and restaurants along the 512 streetcar line. Here are areas from east to west:

Wychwood Heights and Hillcrest Village[dead link] are 2 contiguous retail areas with shops and restaurants, each with its own BIA. However, from a visitor point of view, they appear as one even using the same style of street name signs to brand the area. Both areas lie between Bathurst St on the east and Winona Avenue on the west.

Going further west after a short gap in the shops and restaurants, we come to Northcliffe Village between Oakwood Ave in the east to Northcliffe Blvd on the west. Most of its shops and restaurants are on the north side of St Clair Ave.

From Northcliffe Blvd on the east to Lansdowne Ave on the west lies Corso Italia which has a dense concentration of shops and restaurants on both sides of the street, and because of that concentration, this area is the most interesting of the four areas along St Clair.

Ethnically, one sees a mixture of Italian, Portuguese and Latin American businesses among the 4 areas.

Rosedale is generally considered to be among the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Canada and its narrow, tree-filled streets are lined with beautiful, turn-of-the-century mansions, with large front gardens. The generally accepted boundaries are: The CP railways tracks to the north, Rosedale Ravine to the south, the Don Valley to the east and Yonge Street to the west. While it serves as the neighbourhood's western boundary, Yonge Street also serves as the area's main street, filled with expensive restaurants and shops, and buzzing with nightlife.

Deer Park is centred around the intersection of Yonge Street and St Clair Avenue, both of which have a variety of large office buildings and restaurants. The boundaries of this neighbourhood are roughly defined as: the CP railway tracks in the south, the Belt Line trail in the north, Avenue Road and Oriole Parkway in the west and the Rosedale Ravine in the east.

Part of the old borough of York, Weston is bordered on the north by Highway 401, on the west by the Humber River, and on the east by Jane St. and on the south by Weston Rd. Weston has a large Caribbean population, and is home to some of the best authentic Caribbean food in Toronto. The town's symbol is an old-fashioned bicycle, outlines of which are hung on streetlights on Weston Road. This originates from Weston once having a CCM bicycle factory, and being a manufacturing centre.

Taking subway line 1 along Yonge Street to Rosedale, Summerhill, St. Clair, Davisville, Eglinton, or Lawrence station will put you in Midtown Toronto.

Castle Frank station, on subway line 2 (Bloor-Danforth), provides connections to the Rosedale neighbourhood of Midtown.

Rail fans might want to view the Davisville subway yard at Davisville subway station from a pedestrian bridge crossing over the yard. The bridge is part of the Kay Gardner Beltline Park which runs along a former railway right-of-way.

Bus 82 runs from the Rosedale subway station, travels the neighbourhood and terminates immediately north of Rosedale; bus 75 terminates in the eastern end of Rosedale after serving Sherbourne Street through downtown.

The 512 Streetcar runs along St Clair Avenue from St Clair station to Weston Road. It operates in its own right-of-way with a raised curb between the streetcar tracks and regular traffic and a limited number of stops compared to regular services. As a result, the 512 Streetcar is an excellent way to see St Clair Avenue. The 512 Streetcar is often described as the midtown streetcar line.

Coming from the 401, Yonge Street will take you through the heart of Midtown. Other exits, like Bayview Ave and Avenue Rd, will also provide access to the district. Eglinton Ave is the main east-west crossroad.

43.7214-79.40131Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens, 2901 Yonge St (east side of Yonge St, 1 block south of Lawrence Ave (Subway: Lawrence)). Nice rose gardens. The gardens provide access to the Blythwood Ravine and Sherwood Park, which are forested areas with trails that are good for running or a leisurely walk. The park is named in honour of Alexander Muir who composed the rousing British-Canadian song "The Maple Leaf Forever".(updated Nov 2016)

43.679757-79.4236932Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St (512 streetcar to Christie St), ☎+1 416-653-3520. The Wychwood Barns is a former streetcar depot converted into an estabishment for art organizations. The area is now a public park, and the public may enter the main corridors of the building. The roof on the southern section of the building has been removed and the area is an experimental fruit and vegetable garden. Off the building's main corridor is a cafe and a WC. Outside of event days, the site is fairly quiet, and usually art is not displayed in the public areas. The building was built in stages from 1916 to 1921 and the facility once had over 20 tracks for the storage and maintenence of streetcars. On the western side of the "barns", you can see curving black-coloured sidewalks; these trace the path of the former streetcar tracks that used to circle the building. Inside, there are a few old photos of streetcars.(updated Dec 2015)

43.6790-79.41084Casa Loma Parkette, 328 Walmer Rd (1 block north of Casa Loma). The Castle Loma stables are located on the north side of this tiny park. The stable building is a fanciful, castle-style building. There was a underground passage between Casa Loma and the stables.(updated Nov 2015)

43.683737-79.3651695Evergreen Brick Works (Don Valley Brick Works), 550 Bayview Ave (On weekends & holidays, take 28 Bayview South bus from Davisville Station on subway line 1). Admission Free. The Evergreen Brick Works, is a former clay quarry located in the Don River valley that has been converted into a large, attractive and distictive city park. There are naturalized ponds and wetlands while the former brick works buildings have been restored and opened as an environmentally focused community and cultural centre by Evergreen, a national charity dedicated to restoring nature in urban environments. The wetlands have attracted many species of birds as well as mammals, reptiles and some fish.(updated Dec 2015)

Loring-Wyle Parkette

43.6907-79.38326Loring-Wyle Parkette, 276 St Clair Ave E (700m east of St Clair Subway Station). This tiny park was built in 1984 to honour artists Frances Loring (1887–1968) and Florence Wyle (1881–1968). The parkette contains 4 of their sculptures. The two artists had a studio in a converted church schoolhouse, the building still standing one block south of the parkette at 110 Glenrose Avenue. Near the sidewalk there is a plaque honouring the artists.(updated Nov 2015)

43.6921-79.39497Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 1654 Yonge St (main entrance) (North of St. Clair Station on subway line 1). The cemetery has miles of walking paths and is the resting place of many famous people, including former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, pianist Glenn Gould, the co-discoverers of insulin Frederick Banting and Charles Best, and Timothy Eaton. The western side of the cemetery contains a number of mausoleums including the 43.6943-79.39168Massey Mausoleum., a structure resembling a miniature residential castle, and the 43.6916-79.39039Eaton Mausoleum., resembling a temple with two lions guarding the entrance. Walking tours of the cemetery are available (Muddy York Tours).(updated Nov 2015)

43.6878-79.394310Mural by Phlegm, 1 St. Clair Ave W (on the west-facing wall of the building). UK artist Phlegm painted what may be the world's tallest mural (8 storys) on the side of a building.(updated Aug 2016)

43.6809-79.390511North Toronto railway station (Summerhill railway station; LCBO Summerhill store), 10 Scrivener Square (1 block south of Summerhill subway station). The station, constructed in the Beaux Arts tradition, consists of a 43-metre (140-foot) clock tower and a three-storey main terminal. The tower is modelled after the Campanile di San Marco in Saint Mark’s Square in Venice. The main terminal gallery has an 11.6-metre (38-foot) high ceiling supported by marble walls and with elegant bronze suspended light fixtures. Opened in 1916, closed 1930, the building serves today a very elegant liquor store.(updated Nov 2015)

Ramsden Park in winter

43.6769-79.389612Ramsden Park, 1020 Yonge St (opposite Rosedale Subway Station). Ramsden Park is a relatively large, urban park, on the western edge of the Rosedale neighbourhood, with its entrance right on the west side of Yonge Street. In summer this is a very nice place to have a picnic and in winter there is a large skating rink, there are also tennis courts.(updated Nov 2015)

43.6736-79.385413Rosedale Valley, Rosedale Valley Rd (Follow Aylmer Ave south of Rosedale Subway Station). Rosedale Valley is an enormous green space separating Rosedale from the Yorkville neighbourhood in downtown Toronto. The view from the north side of the valley is absolutely breathtaking, with skyscrapers giving way to a very steep, tree-filled slope. The best view is from the bridge that carries Sherbourne Street across the valley. It is also a pleasant place to stroll during the day, a green oasis just north of the hustle and bustle of downtown, however, like the rest of the ravines in the city, it is extremely unsafe at night.(updated Nov 2015)

43.6790-79.408214Spadina House Museum, 285 Spadina Rd (Beside Casa Loma on the east side), ☎+1 416-392-6910. Adjacent to Casa Loma, this museum gives a more authentic version of Canada's history. It's also a cultural centre, hosting music and art events. Hours and admission vary with the season. Check the website for what's on at the moment, or call their event hotline at +1 416-338-3888.(updated Nov 2015)

43.676993-79.41701015The Tollkeeper's Cottage (The Tollkeeper's Park), 750 Davenport Rd` (Bus 7 Bathurst to Davenport Rd or 127 Davenport to Bathurst St). Interior open Saturdays. This 1835 cottage housed the family of a tollkeeper who collected tolls along Bathurst St. The cottage contains period furnishings. In the south-west corner of the park, there is an exhibit of 19th century road paving materials using logs.(updated Dec 2015)

Toronto has a number of older, classic-looking fire stations located mainly in the central districts. If you are in the area as a tourist, you should take short detour to view their exteriors. One of the mid-town stations is a designated National Historic Site.

43.726279-79.40240816Toronto Fire Station 131, 3135 Yonge Street (1 block north of Lawrence Ave and Lawrence Station). Active firehall; interior not open to public. This attractive Tudor-style, 2-bay firehall was built in 1931. It was retrofitted in 2003 to accommodate a taller aerial ladder truck which, if you are lucky, might be parked outside.(updated Dec 2015)

43.6858-79.394417Toronto Fire Station 311 (Balmoral Fire Hall), 20 Balmoral Ave (1 block south on Yonge from St. Clair Ave (subway: St. Clair), west side). Active firehall; interior not open to public. Balmoral Fire Hall was built in 1911 when horses pulled hose wagons through its double doors. Still visible along the east wall is a second-storey projecting beam and doorway where hay was hoisted into a loft for feed. In the rear, a tower capable of drying 50-foot hoses still stands. The building was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990, for its rare adoption of the Queen Anne style.(updated Nov 2015)

43.679324-79.44865418Toronto Fire Station 342, 106 Ascot Avenue (512 streetcar to Lansdowne Ave; walk 1 block north; it's on the NW corner). This fire station can be difficult to spot as it located in a residential area and, surprisingly, looks just like another house in the area. Built in 1912 in the "residential" style, the station has two storeys with one small bay.(updated Dec 2015)

43.680112-79.43072719Toronto Fire Station 343, 65 Hendrick Avenue (512 streetcar to Winona Dr). Active fire station; interior not open to public. Built in 1916, this cute "Amsterdam"-style fire station has a three-storey main section with two bays and a tower located at the rear.(updated Dec 2015)

Take a self-guided Discovery Walk through the area's parks, the Don Valley Ravines and Mt Pleasant Cemetery (Central Ravines, Belt Line & Gardens - PDF map). This walk is 11km long and takes about 3 hours to complete. You can just do a portion of the walk if you prefer. There will be signs along the way to indicate that you're on the Discovery Walk route. For safety in the ravines, take a friend with you.

43.7029-79.38821Meow Cat Cafe, 556 Mt Pleasant Rd, ☎+1 647-708-1478. Japanese-style Cat café where for the purchase of a cup of coffee, you can pet cats for one hour. The café provides the cats.(updated Jul 2017)

43.6810-79.39081LCBO Summerhill Store, 10 Scrivener Square & Yonge St (South of Summerhill subway station, at the railway line), ☎+1 416-922-0403. This liquor store is located in a very elegant, former railway station with features of its railway heritage preserved. The store has a very large stock of liquor and wine. A new craft beer section was recently opened offering the products of various small breweries within the Province of Ontario. A limited variety of craft beer is available refrigerated, and single bottles (as opposed to a case) can be purchased here.(updated Sep 2015)

There are a lot of restaurant choices in Midtown, ranging from some of Toronto's best (and priciest) restaurants to neighbourhood establishments. Midtown also has some of the best pastry shops in the city.

43.7000-79.389521Davisville Village Farmers' Market, June Rowlands Park (corner of Davisville Ave & Acacia Rd). 3-7 pm Tuesdays only, mid-May to end of September. Temporary stands in a park offering a variety of food product many ready to eat.(updated May 2016)

43.7016-79.387226Bread and Butter Family Restaurant, 507 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto (one block N of Davisville Ave), ☎+1 416-488-0036. Schnitzel, salads, pastries. This restaurant has a good-tasting cappuccino with a creamy foam and sprinkled chocolate reminiscent of fancy coffees in Vienna. Outdoor, covered patio available. You can visit the place just for the coffee if you like.(updated Sep 2015)

43.707852-79.34342632Bamiyan Kabob (at Thorncliffe Park Dr just east of East York Town Centre; bus 25 & 88), ☎+1 416-429-7514. Open daily. Very tasty Afghan cuisine: Chicken, beef and lamb Kabobs, wraps, some veggie items. It looks like a fast-food restaurant but meals usually take about 20 minutes to prepare. A pleasant Afghan tea is available ($1) even though it is not listed on the menu.About $15/person. (updated Feb 2016)